Factory VS DIY

[Bowm4n]

Comparing 2 cars at the same money/miles would it be better going for an older Factory built car or newer DIY .... build quality/residuals being the 2 main areas of concern

Edited by Bowm4n on Friday 21st December 14:45

Edited by Bowm4n on Friday 21st December 14:45

[gtr-gaz]

I don't think there is any difference in build quality....not in the ones I have seen.
All have been finished to a very high standard.

[crafty]

... I understand that the factory has been practicing very hard recently, and following all of our hints and tips posted here... and they are now building em (nearly) as nice as we all do.

[Steve_D]

If you are not mechanically inclined then you may look at a factory built car as a form of insurance.
I suspect most people looking for an Ultima may be more savvy than most in which case they will rely on their own ability to check for any issues with a DIY build and will not assume a factory build is better.

To overcome any doubts you could ask for the car to be delivered to the factory so they can inspect it for you. This could apply to either build source.

Steve

[Wilder]

Another option is to source someone competant to build it for you.

[Bowm4n]

what about resale ... I would think that most people assume a factory to hold its money better. Theres a Factory Built at Hallmark 2001 for £39750 for this money there are a few 2005-6 DIY's. The factory will hold its value much better, yes?

[SlackBlevens]

Resale prices vary depending on options, eg: air-con, rear spoiler, AP brakes, Intrax suspension, engine spec etc and whether its a private or trade sale. There is no reason why a well built customer car shouldn't fetch the same as a well built factory car.

[Wilder]

SlackBlevens said:

Resale prices vary depending on options, eg: air-con, rear spoiler, AP brakes, Intrax suspension, engine spec etc and whether its a private or trade sale. There is no reason why a well built customer car shouldn't fetch the same as a well built factory car.

Agree - its spec thats the most important consideration. I pressume this is because anyone spending the sort of money required to build an Ultima is considered committed enough to see it through with a decent build.
I know some of the guys building Ultimas end up with cars that put most car manufacturers to shame with their attention to detail.

[SlackBlevens]

To add to Wilder's comments - standard factory spec Ultimas have VERY basic interiors (cheap switches, poor layout, no stalks, quirky controls, etc) whereas some DIY builders take the time to design a more production ready look, complete with quality switches, stalk mounted controls, etc. Just look at LuckyP's or Davrianman's and you'll see what I mean.

If I were buying a ready built Ultima I would choose these over a factory build anyday!

[TuxMan]

All down to time and the people involed ,factory cars will be built to a high standard but there will always be a time limit involved ,private builder don,t tend to have a limit so spend more time on the areas that they feel are more important .Resale value depends on the condition of the car and how its been looked after not on who built it .